People in India have been practising yoga asanas for thousands of years. Although there is a lack of solid research backing every benefit of Dhanurasana, the tremendous advantages of yoga practice have stood the test of time. A yoga practice can be defined as a unique combination of controlled movements and breathing that helps in improving the overall quality of a person’s life. Let’s learn about a specific yoga pose—Dhanurasana.
Dhanurasana makes the person practising it appear like a bow; hence, the name—bow pose. There are different variations of the pose that one can be performed if you are not able to or don’t enjoy practising the classic version. The Dhanurasana pose offers many benefits, which is why it is often recommended to people.
Dhanurasana/bow pose benefits
The following are some of the most noticeable Dhanurasana benefits:
• Strengthens the abdominal muscles and the back
If one desires a strong back and core, practising Dhanurasana regularly can help them achieve this goal. With a strong core, your sense of balance improves; with a strong back, you are less likely to have back pain. Dhanurasana benefits people who lead a sedentary life and experience backaches frequently. If coupled with other yoga poses/exercises, proper diet, and other factors, you may also get toned abs by practising Dhanurasana regularly.
• Stimulates the lower abdomen
The bow pose can benefit the reproductive and digestive systems if practised regularly, as the pose stimulates the lower abdomen. People who practice Dhanurasana regularly are less likely to have irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, flatulence, constipation, or other reproductive disorders.
• Opens the chest, shoulders, and neck
Since Dhanurasana is a type of back-bending yoga pose, it opens the chest and helps a person breathe better, in addition to improving their range of motion.
• Tones the muscles
Although doing the bow pose or Dhanurasana is not that difficult if the person is moderately flexible, it requires significant strength to hold the pose for a long duration. While practising the bow pose, you’ll notice the thighs, arms, core, shoulders, glutes, and back being engaged. Dhanurasana helps in toning these muscle groups.
• Improves flexibility of the back, spine, and hip flexors
One of the most prominent Dhanurasana benefits is that it enhances a person’s flexibility. A flexible spine can prevent debilitating conditions, such as slip disc, herniated disc, and flexible hip flexors improve leg mobility.
• Improves posture
People who slouch while sitting or standing or have a bad posture can enjoy an improved posture as one of the Dhanurasana benefits.
• Can relieve menstrual cramps
Dhanurasana benefits girls/women on their periods by alleviating their menstrual cramps. Dhanurasana stretches and stimulates the lower abdomen, and it is often recommended to women who experience discomfort and pain during their menstrual cycles.
• Helps in type 2 diabetes management
Studies have revealed that the bow pose benefits people with type 2 diabetes in controlling yoga. The participants of these studies practised Dhanurasana and other yoga poses regularly and showed significant improvement in their disease management.
Note that yoga practice can help in leading a healthy life, but it cannot replace medication for serious illnesses. Whether you take allopathic medication or AYUSH treatment during an illness, don’t solely rely on yoga practice to get better. You must not avoid medical guidance from a doctor in order to prevent avoidable complications.
Dhanurasana procedure
Although Dhanurasana is not difficult to do (and many young children do it while playing), it is important to understand the technique to get the maximum benefit out of the posture. Here are the steps to do a classic variation of Dhanurasana or bow pose properly:
- Start by lying on your belly on the yoga mat and place your hands near your hips.
- After taking a few deep breaths, bend your knees and hold your ankle/foot with your hands.
- Slowly stretch your arms and pull your weight by kicking your legs.
Note that the aim is to lift your chest up and balance on the abdomen; do not lift your legs up and bring your chest down. You will also notice that by kicking into the hands, your back bends more and your chest starts to lift up from the ground. While holding this pose for a while, you will notice the heat starting to build in your hamstrings and back. Make sure your legs are parallel to the mat for better engagement.
- Hold this position for 15 to 20 seconds and release back to the starting position.
- Repeat this 2 to 3 times.
It is important to note that everybody has different bodily strengths and weaknesses, and some people may be able to hold Dhanurasana for long periods while others struggle to maintain the posture for a few seconds. Take your time to build the strength required for the pose, and don’t rush the process.
Variations of Dhanurasana
Whether due to an injury, a health condition, or just for a change, you can try different variations of the bow pose mentioned here:
• Ardha Dhanurasana or the half bow pose:
This pose involves performing the Dhanurasana only on one side at a time. To practice Ardha Dhanurasana, you follow all the steps of Dhanurasana except only engage one side of your limbs. For example, start by lying on your belly on the mat, bring your left ankle closer to your bum, hold it with the left arm, kick the left leg and hold, and release after a few seconds. This process can be repeated on the other side as well.
• Akarna Dhanurasana:
Also known as the shooting bow pose, this asana involves sitting upright with your legs spread out on the mat in front. The person touches their feet and brings the foot of one leg to their ear on the same side and repeats on the other side.
• Dandayamana Dhanurasana
This pose is a modification of the Ardha Dhanurasana and involves doing the same Dhanurasana procedure while standing up. In dandayamana Dhanurasana, you start by standing straight on the mat; then, you fold the left leg first and hold it with your left hand. Then, you kick into the hand, which lifts your leg up high and arches your back while stretching your right hand in front of you. Hold this for a while and repeat for the other side.
Takeaway
Now that you know the amazing Dhanurasana benefits, try including it in your regular work-out and see the difference yourself. Whether you are searching for a solution to your back pain, poor posture, stiffness in the back, or strengthen your body, you can consider practising this easy-to-perform yoga pose regularly.
There is little to no risk associated with practising Dhanurasana; however, some people may injure themselves during the process. The following group of people should avoid practising Dhanurasana without consulting their doctor first:
- People who recently had surgery, especially in the abdomen region
- People with migraine headaches
- People with disorders of the spine, back/neck injury, and/or high/low blood pressure
- Women who are pregnant
Yoga practice offers a holistic approach for living a healthy life; poses such as Dhanurasana are easy to incorporate in your routine and practice. By following certain guidelines, listed below, you can get the most out of your yoga practice:
- Take it slow, and don’t rush your body.
- Some days will feel harder than others, be consistent in your practise.
- Avoid eating a heavy meal for about 3 hours (at least) before practising Dhanurasana or other yoga poses.
- Practise asanas whenever and wherever you can.
